Not breaking 4 minutes in mile a possible blessing for ASU’s Bernie Montoya

In the long run, Bernie Montoya might be better off for not breaking the four-minute mile barrier while in high school.

He’s under somewhat less pressure starting his college career at Arizona State because he fell less than two seconds short of joining the elite sub-4 prep club of Jim Ryun (1964), Tim Danielson (’66), Marty Liquori (’67), Alan Webb (2001) and Luke Verzbicas (2011).

Still Montoya’s 4:01.32 at the 2012 Dream Mile is third fastest all-time in a race with only high-schoolers so it’s hard to keep a lid on expectations even at ASU, where middle/distance running flies way under the radar compared to Oregon, Colorado or some Eastern schools. It’s entirely possible, though, that Montoya eventually will topple the fabled school track records — 3:56.90 mile and 3:40.70 1,500-meter — set by Chuck LaBenz in 1970.

“You want to be grateful for what you have,” said Montoya, who never expected to run 4:01 when he was a freshman at Yuma Cibola High. “In the end, I’m very satisfied with my (high school) career. The fire is still growing inside, and I still want to prove myself. I’m more driven than in high school. I have to be if I want to stay up with those big dogs.”

Montoya barked the loudest among preps in the mile the previous two years, running a 2013 best 4:01.71 for eighth against older competition at the Prefontaine Classic International Mile in June. “When you get gapped, there is a tendency to mentally shut it down and give up,” ASU men’s cross-country coach Louie Quintana said. “He kept racing and sticking on the plan, which was pretty impressive.”

Quintana can relate to Montoya’s transition. He ran a 4:07 mile in high school and won the 1990 Foot Locker national cross country title then while at Villanova was a nine-time All-America and made the cover of Track & Field News.

“He (Montoya) comes with a lot of hoopla, but he’s still very untapped aerobically,” Quintana said. “He has lots of room to grow there especially on the track. In cross country, it’s difficult for any freshman to be a major player. We’ll see the fruition of all this work pay off on the track.”

Montoya was ASU’s third finisher in his first college cross-country meet Saturday and 10th overall at the George Kyte Classic in Flagstaff. He covered an 8,000-meter course at altitude in 25:46. Matt McElroy of No. 2-ranked Northern Arizona was first in 24:45. ASU sophomore Ryan Herson was second (24:56) and junior Garrett Baker-Slama fifth (25:10).

“NAU has a chance to win the national title,” Quintana said. “Our guys look up to them in that sense. We’re very young but extremely talented. That (NAU) could be us in a couple of years.”

No. 7 Arizona won the Kyte women’s title with Kayla Beattie, a transfer from Iowa, in first over a 6K course in 16:47. UA freshman Maria Larsson from Sweden was second (16:52).

Reversing 2012 start

ASU women’s soccer’s double-overtime win against Illinois on Friday night is the kind of result that matters when it comes to making the NCAA Tournament and for seeding.

“In my own perception, I really think we’re a top-20 team,” ASU coach Kevin Boyd said. “This allows us to move closer to that picture, and we can start proving we belong there.”

The Sun Devils followed up with a 4-0 win over Kansas on Sunday and are 4-1, reversing last year’s 1-4-1 start.

ASU led 2-0 early in the second half against Illinois before giving up a penalty-kick goal that recharged the Illini.

Finally with 3:35 left in the second overtime, Cali Farquharson scored her second goal off a pass from Devin Marshall, who also had two goals, for the win. Marshall scored twice again Sunday to earn Sun Devil Classic MVP.

Sweeping up

The road gets much tougher this week for ASU volleyball, yet to lose a set in its 6-0 start.

After playing Youngstown State on Thursday, , the Sun Devils face host Illinois and defending national champion Texas on Friday.

ASU also swept its first six opponents in 1995, when Christine Garner was the hitting leader. The Sun Devils reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 that season.

Reach Metcalfe at 602-444-8053 or jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him at twitter.com/jeffmetcalfe.

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